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COVID-19: NY Will Ramp Up Testing For Frontline Workers, Allow Pharmacies To Conduct Tests COVID-19: NY Will Ramp Up Testing For Frontline Workers, Allow Pharmacies To Conduct Tests
Covid-19: NY Will Ramp Up Testing For Frontline Workers, Allow Pharmacies To Conduct Tests New York State is expanding testing for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to include more frontline workers as a result of rapidly increasing diagnostic testing capacity.  The expanded criteria will now allow all first responders, healthcare workers and essential employees to be tested for COVID-19 even if they aren't symptomatic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday, April 25 at his daily news briefing in Albany.  The state will continue to expand testing criteria as testing capacity increases. Cuomo also announced he will issue an executive order allowing more than 5,000 phar…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: MTA To Give $500K To Families Of Workers Killed By Virus As Death Toll Climbs Past 50 COVID-19: MTA To Give $500K To Families Of Workers Killed By Virus As Death Toll Climbs Past 50
Covid-19: MTA To Give $500K To Families Of Workers Killed By Virus As Death Toll Climbs Past 50 Following an agreement with three of the MTA's largest labor unions, Metro-North officials announced they will provide $500,000 benefits to the families of transit workers killed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as if they died in the line of duty. As of Wednesday, April 15, more than 50 MTA employees have died from virus-related complications, the vast majority city bus, and subway workers. "Transportation workers are the heroes moving heroes of this public health crisis, continuing to get healthcare workers, first responders and other essential personnel where they need to go and savin…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: MTA Cleaning Trains, Turnstiles Amid Outbreak, Deep Ridership Decline COVID-19: MTA Cleaning Trains, Turnstiles Amid Outbreak, Deep Ridership Decline
Covid-19: MTA Cleaning Trains, Turnstiles Amid Outbreak, Deep Ridership Decline The MTA is doubling down on cleaning efforts as ridership continues to decline due to the outbreak of COVID-19. With thousands of people in mandatory or precautionary quarantine, and thousands more ordered to work from home to help stop the spread of the virus, MTA has seen a sharp decline in ridership. The MTA is reporting that LIRR ridership was down 31 percent, while Metro-North was down nearly 50 percent since the outbreak began. Subways and buses are also being used approximately 20 percent less. In response to the spread of coronavirus, trains, ticket machines, vending machines, turn…

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by Zak Failla
News
Coronavirus Could Disrupt US Schools, Transportation, Says Acting White House Chief Of Staff Coronavirus Could Disrupt US Schools, Transportation, Says Acting White House Chief Of Staff
Coronavirus Could Disrupt US Schools, Transportation, Says Acting White House Chief Of Staff As the outbreak of coronavirus continues to spread throughout the globe, the acting White House Chief of Staff is cautioning that the virus may have an impact on schools and transportation stateside. “Are you going to see some schools shut down? Probably,” acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney reported said at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C. “Maybe see impacts on public transportation? Sure, but we do this. We know how to handle this.” Mulvaney’s statement comes as the stock market continues to plummet amid fears of the spread of the virus. As of Frida…

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by Zak Failla
News
MTA Issues Update On Precautions Against Coronavirus MTA Issues Update On Precautions Against Coronavirus
MTA Issues Update On Precautions Against Coronavirus The MTA is taking precautions to prevent the spread of the increasing threat of coronavirus. “While there is no confirmed case in New York, the MTA has already taken a number of steps to provide information about the novel coronavirus to our employees and our eight million daily customers across NYC Transit, Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road,” the organization stated. A total of 81,109 cases have been confirmed globally. Of those cases, 78,191 cases have been confirmed in China, with 2,918 outside China, the World Health Organization announced. The risk assessment remains “very high” i…

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by Zak Failla
News
MTA Anticipates Fare Increase For Those Commuting To, From Long Island Next Year MTA Anticipates Fare Increase For Those Commuting To, From Long Island Next Year
MTA Anticipates Fare Increase For Those Commuting To, From Long Island Next Year Long Island commuters traveling to Manhattan will soon see a fare hike but riders in the five boroughs will be paying cheaper prices as part of a new pilot program. The MTA announced on Wednesday, Feb. 26, that starting this spring, full-price fares for most travel within the City of New York on MTA Metro-North Railroad and MTA Long Island Rail Road will be reduced through funding from the Outer Borough Transportation Account. According to the MTA, full-price fares will be reduced by 10 percent for Metro-North travelers in the Bronx and Manhattan; 10 percent for LIRR travelers in Queens, Br…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Cuomo Seeks $40M Emergency Funding For Potential Coronavirus Pandemic Cuomo Seeks $40M Emergency Funding For Potential Coronavirus Pandemic
Cuomo Seeks $40M Emergency Funding For Potential Coronavirus Pandemic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has requested $40 million in emergency funding be approved by the state legislature for the state’s Department of Health for dealing with a potential coronavirus pandemic. With federal health officials declaring it’s become a matter of “when, not if,” the virus will spread to the United States, Cuomo is taking steps to ensure that New York is ready to go to battle. The $40 million appropriation will allow the Department of Health to hire additional staff, procure equipment and any other resources necessary to respond to the potential novel coronavirus pandemic. …

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by Zak Failla
News
Missing 10-Year-Old Reunited With Family By Metro-North Employees Missing 10-Year-Old Reunited With Family By Metro-North Employees
Missing 10-Year-Old Reunited With Family By Metro-North Employees A missing 10-year-old girl was returned safely to her family thanks to the good work of several MTA employees. The employees were recently honored after the child was found on Tuesday, Jan. 14, said MTA officials. The girl, from the Bronx, was found just as Train No. 593 pulled out of Fordham Station, when Conductor Ninan Jacob noticed the child, traveling alone and seemingly confused and tired. After spotting the child, Jacob contacted the operations center who arranged to have MTA Police meet the train at its next scheduled station stop in Mount Vernon West. “I don’t consider mysel…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Bed Bugs Cause Rush-Hour Subway Delays In Queens, MTA Says Bed Bugs Cause Rush-Hour Subway Delays In Queens, MTA Says
Bed Bugs Cause Rush-Hour Subway Delays In Queens, MTA Says Bed bugs found in an MTA tower were to blame for subway delays during rush hour on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The bed bug sighting took place around 4:30 p.m., Wednesday by an employee at the Forest Hills 71st control tower in Queens, said the MTA. Following the finding, the tower was fumigated which resulted in the evacuation of tower staff until they could return safely around 7:30 p.m., said Andy Byford, MTA NYC Transit president. Due to the evacuation, service was impacted during this period as M and R trains had to be taken farther to turn around and some M and R trains were re-routed, …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Group Of Santas Help Restrain Suspect Who Stabbed Victim On LIRR, MTA Says Group Of Santas Help Restrain Suspect Who Stabbed Victim On LIRR, MTA Says
Group Of Santas Help Restrain Suspect Who Stabbed Victim On Lirr, MTA Says A group of SantaCon participants helped save a person who was stabbed on an LIRR train by restraining the attacker. The attack of a 22-year-old victim took place around 5:55 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14, near the Woodside station onboard a train bound for Babylon, said a spokesman for the MTA.  MTA Police arrested Robert Marciano, 45, address unknown, and charged him with assault, criminal possession of a weapon, harassment and reckless endangerment, the MTA said. The injured victim, who was reportedly stabbed in the leg, was taken to Elmhurst Hospital. MTA officials said a video on…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Metro-North May Raise Parking Fees At Some Stations Metro-North May Raise Parking Fees At Some Stations
Metro-North May Raise Parking Fees At Some Stations Parking may be getting a bit costlier for Metro-North riders. The MTA is reviewing a proposal to increase fees at 25 station parking facilities that are controlled by the railroad. It would impact riders east of the Hudson River, including the Harlem, Hudson and New Haven lines. Permit holders for 16-hour parking would pay an average of $42.75 annually, approximately 12 cents a day. Customers who use daily meters will pay an average of $14.17 more monthly, with the meters increasing by 50 to 75 cents for 16-hour parking. The cost per month for having a second vehicle on the permit will go u…

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by Zak Failla
News
Colombo Family Captain's GPS Device Used To Track Girlfriend Leads To Arrests Of 11 Mobsters Colombo Family Captain's GPS Device Used To Track Girlfriend Leads To Arrests Of 11 Mobsters
Colombo Family Captain's GPS Device Used To Track Girlfriend Leads To Arrests Of 11 Mobsters Twenty people, including 11 members of the Colombo crime family, are facing a host of charges that include racketeering, extortion, sports bribery, and loansharking. Federal officials announced that three indictments were unsealed that charged Joseph Amato, an alleged captain in the Colombo organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra, as well as Daniel Capaldo and Thomas Scorcia, alleged Colombo family members; and Joseph Amato, Jr. and Anthony Silvestro, alleged Colombo family associates.  For a rundown of all 20 facing charges, click here. The alleged criminal activities detailed in the…

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by Zak Failla